A Lick and a Promise
by Exquisiteliltart
Summary: Swan Queen, Gender Bender, Steam Punk, Regina is a steam powered sex toy entrepreneur, who also happens to be a witch. She visits the Enchantica Ranch, a brothel ran by Maleficent, to stop the evil industrialist Lionel Gold during a poker tournament. Regina employs a highwayman, Emma, who uses strong magic as a powerful disguise. *note, this is swan queen lady love all the way,
1. Among the Willows

"A lick and a promise" is an old west term meaning "to do a haphazard job" I'm coming up man-sized  
Skinned alive I want to fit  
I've got to get Man-sized  
I'm heading on Handsome  
Got my leather boots on…. – PJ Harvey 'Man-Size'

 **...**

The ground felt rough and rocky under the heavy echoing footballs of heavy hooves repeatedly beating the red clay dirt. He felt his gun pressing against his stomach, heavy and deadly in the holster. One hand commanded the reigns of the bronze beast while the other adjusted the red bandana around his jaw. Thick lensed goggles kept the cloudy dirt out of his eyes as he raced toward the stagecoach.

Heart pounding in anticipation, he cranked the gears on his mechanical horse: valves opened and a fresh cloud of hot steam pushed out, propelling him faster toward the unsuspecting mark. Galloping up to the side, he pulled his gun and held it high and shot off a round in warning. The bullet whizzed into the sky as the coach slowed.

The robbery was dangerous, but was sure to bring a huge haul for the highwayman. It was one of the new ones: shaped like a dragon, the passengers rode between its ribs in the belly of the beast. The coach was drawn by a team of black steam powered machines which were shaped in the form of horses.

"Everyone out, line up and ditch your purses," He hollered, motioning with his head and the gun, voice booming and authoritative. The startled passengers looked to be a group of ladies, which was even better for the bandit. He wouldn't kill, it wasn't worth the stain on his conscience.

"No trouble, no smoke!"

The Maverick, as he was notoriously known throughout the land, swung his leg over his horse and jumped easily to the ground, the gun stayed drawn, eyes sharp behind the goggles. The ladies stayed in a line on the side of the coach, coin purses in the dirt in front of them. He carefully stooped to collect his booty. "Careful, ladies, I'm as crazy as popcorn on a hot stove."

As he gathered up the coin, a shot gun was cocked from the front of the coach. As the Maverick pointed his weapon toward the noise, he caught the motion out of the corner of his eye of one of the women flicking her arm. A smooth metal ball rolled out toward his dusty boots, and a small stem popped from the top of the orb. "Shit, finger apple!"

"Run!" One of the women screamed. He stumbled backwards toward his horse, climbing the saddle and pulled one of the levers protruding from the neck. The horse roared to life, he pushed another lever in a panic to make the machine turn around and carry the Maverick away. No sooner had he traveled a few paces than a huge explosion boomed, and a fiery blast knocked him half off his horse. He patted in a panic at his leather britches trying to quell the heat. The horse faltered and he nearly lost his grip, but held strong as he switched gears and rode as fast as possible off into the cool dark of the surrounding desert.

…

Regina Mills was New York born, but had spent enough time in the west to know the customs and culture. She was the only calm one near the stagecoach when the smoke cleared. She rummaged in her bag for her binoculars and stared through them looking out into the night to hunt for the bandit.

On the ground lay the red bandana the thief had worn and Regina grabbed it, smirking at her turn of fortune.

She picked up the front of her skirts and ran off the road and away from the dragon shaped coach.

"Regina, where are you going?" Her travel companion, Kathryn, yelled after her. The blast had left many of the passengers on board smoke covered and lightly injured, and she was trying to take stock of the damage.

"I'm going to find that robber and finish what I started. Go on without me, I'll meet you at our destination," Regina growled over her shoulder as she hurried off. Regina knew Kathryn would only sigh and shake her head, she wouldn't follow or ask further questions. When Regina made a decision, she would follow it through until the end.

It took hours, in near pitch conditions, tripping over tumbleweeds and listening to the frightening rattle of snakes in the underbrush. She held out the bandana and brought a small glass vial from under her heavy petticoats. "There we go," she murmured to herself as she emptied the clear liquid onto the handkerchief and watched as it floated in the darkness. Being a witch had its advantages, though she never discussed how she came to possess her potions or powers. Not many knew she had magic, and those who did would never turn on her, and the rest were already dead.

The bandana changed course and sprung ahead toward a rocky outcrop. She found it harder to keep up with the pace as she stumbled along the foothills. After what seemed like hours, the temperature had dropped low enough to cause her a great chill, but she finally found who she had been looking for. A small fire burned between two large rocks. It was makeshift shelter, not quite a cave, but a place for a campsite. The bandit had removed his hat, and Regina peeked over a nearby rock, remaining hidden in the night.

Regina watched intently, taking in every detail of the robber. He had long greasy blonde hair, a week's worth of darker stubble on his face, broad shoulders and well defined muscles were evident when he removed his red leather coat. Big hands rooted through the purses he'd managed to take. He brought a tin of beans off the fire, wiped the grime off his forehead and settled onto his bedroll to eat.

She had to approach this delicately. Her raw instinct was to simply toss another of her apples directly into his camp and blow him to kingdom come, but she held back when she saw what happened next. The large and rugged man began to shrink.

The stubble disappeared, the hair grew even longer, and to her bewilderment the straight lines of his hips turned to womanly curves. She heard a decidedly higher pitched and feminine sigh emanate from what used to be a 'him.' Now reclining on the bedroll in his place was a beautiful woman. The looks were the same, but the cheeks were rounder, the eyes shapelier.

Regina breathed out in a rush and bit her bottom lip as the woman in front of her tossed the now empty tin of beans to the side and pulled back her sleeping bag. The large gun she carried was secured to her waist and she adjusted the belt several notches to make it fit her now relatively petite body.

"You have me quite acocked, bandit," Regina sauntered from her hiding place and surprised the woman who had just closed her eyes to sleep. She grabbed her gun and sprung to her feet, pointing it toward Regina as she stepped closer, her face illuminated to the other woman by the dying fire.

"You, I trust you're the one responsible for the hog killin' time back at the coach. How's a lady like you carry finger apples like that?" The woman asked and the slight shake of her hand did not go unnoticed by Regina.

"What do they call you?" Regina asked her voice piqued with curiosity and intrigue.

"No questions, how did you find me? I done double backed three times over, I made sure I was impossible to track," she stepped out, keeping the gun trained on Regina's chest.

Regina looked down the barrel of the obscene thing and then coolly fixed her gaze back on the woman at hand. "Answer me and I'll let you live."

"They call me Maverick," she stated, done playing games.

"An unbranded motherless calf," Regina helpfully defined. Her shoulders rolled with her mocking chuckle. "And you're a witch, I daresay, you have magic."

"Ain't none of your business, ma'am. You turn back and march your tight little ass back across the range and let me be."

Regina circled around her slowly, she reached slowly into the fire and pulled back a handful of flame. She fed off the intense fear that the brazen display of magic sparked in the blonde's eyes. "I want to know your __real__ name, __Maverick__."

"Easy witch, I'll blast you with my big gun, if you take another step." The gun was obviously getting heavy for her outstretched arm. "Sit right down and put out that flame."

"I thought you wanted me to leave you alone, and now you're asking me to stay?" Regina was growing weary with the game, though she did enjoy a challenging play for power.

"I'm here among the willows[1] and now I have to fight a witch…" the woman muttered more to herself than to Regina. Her shoulders slumped and it was obvious she was tired, but she kept her chin held high, the flame in Regina's hand danced in her dark green eyes.

"Put down that oversized gun and I'll douse my flame…we can have a nice chat and share a cup of Apple Jack," Regina kept staring, her brown eyes fixed on green ones, and when the gun was lowered back into the holster, Regina closed her fist to smother the fire.

"Emma. My name is Emma," she slowly sat down on her knees, her body was coiled tightly ready to strike if Regina made any false move. "I don't think I'm in the mood to chat with you. And as for Apple Jack, well, a drop of that would hit the spot right about now."

"A bandit without liquor? Look in your supply bag," Regina drawled, rolling her neck from side to side. She forced herself to relax in order to appear calm and help Emma relax. She wouldn't be able to test the girl and see if she really was all she hoped for if she couldn't grill her for information.

Emma looked momentarily shocked when she produced a jug of whiskey from her knapsack. She smelled the strong alcohol and then looked up at Regina.

"Magic, really? Take a drink," she insisted, tossing the jug to Regina.

She caught it easily never breaking eye contact. "I usually prefer to toast before I drink."

She never blinked as she shrugged and tossed her head to the side in acquiescence, even as she took a hearty swig, feeling the alcohol burn as her throat worked to swallow. She stood up and brought the jug over to Emma, handing it back to her as she regarded Regina with distrust and uncertainty.

"Don't be scared, little calf, you clearly have magic of your own. What ever will I do if you turn back into that big burly robber man," Regina whispered the last words and her eyes widened in faux worry, as Emma took the jug. Regina dared to run cool fingers down Emma's jaw as she took her drink of liquor.

"Not scared," Emma said sharply, and Regina didn't know if she was referring to herself or the witch in black. "I ain't much for talking though, and I wish I could say thanks for the drink, but it's the least you can do after jangling my nerves."

"Hmm, exactly how can I persuade you to loosen your lips?" Regina slinked down next to her, sharing the cushion of Emma's bedroll as she gawked at Regina's audacity. "Are you for hire?"

Emma took another swallow of whiskey, and turned her head to look Regina over. Regina made note of her eyes as they wandered over her body, taking in the swell of her breasts and resting briefly on her toned thighs before rising to meet hers once more.

"Depends on the job," Emma said flirtatiously.

"It's a little of this, a little of that, nothing you couldn't handle, I'm sure," Regina moved closer, pretending like she was leaning over Emma to get to the fire. "Especially for someone who has magic such as yours..."

Emma's jaw tightened as Regina kept close watch. She was well prepared with a full arsenal of seduction tactics to get what she wanted, and if seduction failed she always had the old fall backs of violence and power to force her will. She preferred to keep things civil as long as she could at least.

"Cut the bullshit and tell me what you need to get done," Emma sounded exasperated and a bit annoyed. She grabbed the jug of liquor and drank it down.

"My starling[2] has a temper," Regina commented drily. "Where did you get that spell? How did you turn into a man?"

"I'm sure a witch of your talent has magic like that," Emma stood up with a grunt and threw another log on the fire. She poked at it with a stick, moving burning embers around as a distraction. It was clear to Regina the discussion was making the other woman uncomfortable.

"A glamour, yes, of course I have magic to make myself or others appear in a different form. That's all it is: appearances, tricks…I would still feel my same old self, only look different to others, but that's not what you used. You were a man. That magic is old and brusque; I don't recognize it," Regina explained as she attempted to get Emma to reveal her secrets.

She never would have guessed that Emma was truly a woman if she hadn't seen the transformation with her own eyes. Both her masculine and feminine forms were quite appealing, and Regina wanted to see more.

"I don't know where it came from, it's 'man candy'. I won it in a bet," she confessed as she stood up and moved to the dark corner under the flat rock that she was using as a shelter. Regina had been so caught up and intrigued by Emma and her magic she now realized she was miles from any sort of civilization and it was the middle of the night in the desert.

She had to make Emma trust her or fear that she'd get a knife to the throat while she slept.

"You live by a code I presume?"

Emma was spit shining an apple, her face half hidden by the dark, the other half flickering in the light of the fire.

Emma took a crisp, wet bite of her apple and spoke as she chewed, "Every cowboy does."

"I have a code too…if you agree to take the job I'm offering, I won't hurt you or rob you while you sleep."

"So generous," Emma barked and let out an indignant huff.

"These are troubled times, Starling. There is enough to fear out there, wouldn't you agree?" Regina stood up, her skirts dirty from the ground. She came to stand in front of Emma and then squatted down, her smile glittery in the firelight. "I could never harm someone in my charge, and I will make it worth your while."

She reached into her skirts and produced a coin purse full of gold. "This is a retainer, and in exchange, your first job is to tell me a story."

Emma snatched at the purse greedily, just as Regina had hoped she would. Dangling it on its chain she moved it back and forth just out of her grasp. She reached out faster, and grabbed Regina's hand stilling the purse and meeting her dark eyes, "All you want is a story?"

"Yes. A story," Regina gave over the purse and watched as Emma ferreted it away beneath her layers of clothing. "In full disclosure, if you accept that coin and offer the story, that means you are my employee, and therefore you are in my debt."

"Calm down. Anyways, I'm not a killer. I might rob ya, but I'm not going to hurt you unless you try to magick me with your devil flames," Emma raised her eyebrows in mischief as if the idea of being magicked by Regina's devil flames seemed like an exciting evening where she was concerned.

Being out in the wide open and looking up at the bright sparkling night sky has an effect. The Stars at once, make one realize how vulnerable and insignificant they are, but also bring about a sense of wonder of existence. The moon hung large, orange and looming casting a dim, hazy glow over the pair of women.

"Then we're in agreement, and now my story," Regina slid eagerly to the ground and pulled Emma's bed roll underneath her, laying down and settling in. She raised her hand to her lips to stifle a yawn from the late hour. Regina was not used to travel and so much excitement as of late.

"What do you want to hear about?" Emma asked looking perturbed about how her new employer had taken over her bedroll.

Regina grew excited, salivating. "Tell me about your family."

"Ain't got none to speak of."

"You really are an orphan…. Never mind, tell me of your robberies and cons," Regina sat up fully, listening intently.

"Too many to tell…" She dismissed Regina's request, looking almost bashful, and not at all the confident outlaw Regina had started to familiarize herself with. "Go on, ask me for the story you wanna hear."

Regina swallowed then, licking her lips. She was impressed that Emma was more insightful and complex than she came off.

"Yes, then…" She lowered her voice to a wonder filled whisper, "…tell me about the first time you changed…into a man."

Emma contemplated the question for a moment, and then laughed deep in her chest. A rolling laugh that shook her whole body and made Regina regard her with suspicion. Perhaps she had been fooled and the woman before her was no woman at all. Perhaps she'd been keeping company with a demonic shapeshifter? Though the blonde was pretty, she was certainly not harmless like most women Regina had met in her travels of the lands west of the Mississippi.

"Imagine the time you got the angriest and then double it," Emma stopped laughing and began to speak rather solemnly. "It's like everything is doubled: I'm bigger, stronger, faster and able to do things I wouldn't normally think I was capable of."

"Intense," Regina hissed in intrigue. "Tomorrow you will take me to the place I was traveling when you rudely attempted to rob the Dragon's coach. When we get to our destination, you will do whatever is necessary to help me find the man I'm looking for, and when you do there will be more gold for you."

"Alright, can we get some shut eye now? Sounds like tomorrow will be a long day," Emma agreed with a sharp nod, seemingly relieved that no more questions were coming for the rest of the night.

"Yes, we can rest, I do need my wits about me to handle much more of your dire company," Regina insulted Emma, equal parts intrigued by the mystery and repulsed by her foreign demeanor. "One more thing: tomorrow you will show me your man magic and I wish to use it on myself."

[1] "Dodging the law"

[2] Starling bird totems teach much about sensitivity to others and working as a unity either in this world or another and will instill a sense of protection and hope, and show one how to balance femininity/masculinity. And Regina calls Emma 'Starling' because it rhymes with 'Darling' and I wanted her to.


	2. The Whorearchy

The night stretched on; the ground was cold and hard as it is want to be. Regina struggled to sleep, knowing the plans that lay ahead were not simple. Her new companion was still mysterious, but she found she trusted her naturally despite Emma freely admitting she was an outlaw who used trickery and deception to steal from others. She was at heart a gentleman, for she let Regina sleep on the bedroll.

Emma kept watch; her back against rock, knees up. She cleaned her gun and tended to the fire, while Regina quietly watched and contemplated until her eyes grew heavy. The predawn hours were the coldest, but the sun rose sure as it always did, and the two women started their mission.

"Aspasia can't carry both of us, not that far and at that speed," Emma frowned and scuffed her boot into the dirt when Regina described where they were headed.

"The Starling can do simple math, charming," Regina rolled her eyes and placed both hands on the back of the bronze beast, enchanting the gears and levers with magic. The mechanical horse reared to life, ready to carry them forever.

Emma took a moment to regard Regina with skepticism, "If you're so powerful, witch, how come you need me?"

"You'll see," Regina replied and watched Emma jump up on the horse's back. She extended her arm and Regina flushed and smiled before taking it. Even for a woman Emma was quite strong, she boosted Regina up onto the horse and she settled in behind her. The night had been unkind and Regina's back protested the horseback position, it had been quite a spell since she'd been on a horse: live or mechanical.

Times were changing and it was rare to see a live animal ridden these days. The farmers and ranchers used them around their property, but the cost to feed a horse hay was becoming more expensive than to feed steam and coal to a machine.

It was more than a day's ride to the destination, but Regina was hell-bent on arriving within the day. With a bit of luck, the magic would hold and she trusted her partner to not veer off course. The enchantment made the horse double its pace and the dust rose up around them in a great cloud as they headed into parts unknown.

"I really don't want to go back near that hellish town. You can see it from 100 miles away you know, the blackness that surrounds it pollutes the sky," Emma revealed with disdain. Regina kept quiet, knowing the black town was eventually where they would end up. "Where are we going exactly?"

"We'll be meeting up with my business partner and then we'll be… trying our luck," Regina explained over the wind resistance. Her skirts were slipping on the polished back of Aspasia and she was forced to wrap both arms around Emma's waist. To be heard she rested her chin on her shoulder and spoke directly into her ear. A shiver ran through Emma's body and her chin twitched, which caused Regina to hum in appreciation. It appeared her words had quite the effect on the rider.

"Trying our luck?" Emma asked, clearly fed up with Regina's vagueness and games. "Tell me, alright."

"Are you familiar with The Enchantica Ranch?"

Emma's eyes widened and Regina sensed a strange panic emanating from her, "No, never heard of it," she replied all too quickly.

"Surely you have," Regina held her tighter, curious and perplexed regarding Emma's strange reaction. "It's the largest and most famous brothel this side of the Mississippi."

Emma spit into the dirt and turned the gears protruding from Aspasia's neck to try and speed up enough that conversation would be impossible. The metal polished hooves effortlessly kicked harder against the ground and a two streams of steam pumped from the horse's nostrils. Up ahead in the far distance a large vortex of coal black smoke hovered over the land. The Enchantica Ranch was located on the outskirts, just on the edge of where the black smoke touched, the settlement known as Gold's town.

"They say the ladies of Enchantica are fine as cream gravy, Em-ma," Regina taunted her as they sped onwards. The flat desert ground gave way to rockier dirt with pointed cacti and spiky brush protruding from the barren earth as they drew nearer to their destination.

"I'll bet they are," Emma retorted, her jaw set as the horse gained speed. They raced down a steep hill and through a canyon, and Regina felt the freedom and exhilaration of riding horseback that she had long forgotten. "If we're going to make the ranch by nightfall we've got to get a wiggle on."

…

The Enchantica Ranch boasted a sprawling and well-kept estate. Passersby would assume the mansion and flat surrounding pastures were owned by an Eastern aristocrat. Many did pass by none the wiser about the sins of the flesh that were committed and enjoyed behind the doors of the big house.

Madame Maleficent was an entrepreneur quite like Regina was, but she made her money by dealing in sex and gambling. Maleficent was a London born woman who had accompanied her fiancé overseas. He had succumbed to consumption shortly after arriving in America, and Maleficent was virtually penniless and unable to obtain the funds to travel home. Instead, she made her way westward, but work was hard to come by and no one was keen on hiring an uneducated widow. She soon found it to her advantage to use her body to make her living.

She'd ride into a burg, take a room at the inn, paint her lips scarlet, and find a way to flirt with the gamblers who were up on their luck in the saloons. At first it was disconcerting to let strange men explore her body intimately, but the wages she earned helped to ease the guilt and grimy feeling that came with being used and handled roughly. After wandering from town to town and saving her earnings, she met up with a troupe of traveling burlesque performers.

The travesty[1] outwardly promised music and ribald comedy, but everyone in attendance knew that sex was the primary attraction. The performers were immodestly underdressed and took on roles as sexual aggressors and the show gained attention through prudish outrage. Maleficent was all for pushing the boundaries and became the break out star and unofficial ring leader of the troupe. Wherever they went to perform, no matter how great the hall, they were guaranteed a sold out audience. Maleficent would sometimes 'forget' to wear her tights during her infamous 'cooch' dance that led to a few close calls for public exhibition with the law.

Eventually, she decided to retire from the traveling performances, taking her amassed fortune and a handful of the best and brightest girls to open her own business: The Enchantica Ranch.

She no longer had to fuck for her money, but preferred to watch her girls and ensure quality control, instructing them on tips and tricks to get the gentlemen and cowboys off quicker: satisfied but eager and wanting more. It insured repeat business.

In recent months, Maleficent was looking to expand her menu of services. Despite Dr. Whale's weekly examinations, venereal disease had put a few of whores out of commission for the duration. No sex translated to no money for Maleficent, so she had to find a new enterprising way to up her profits. Combined with Mr. Gold slashing wages for the factory workers and hiking up rent and living expenses, the frequent patrons of the Enchantica Ranch had to cut back on their visits.

Maleficent was a survivor and she was unwilling to suffer and lose her life of luxury. She was put in touch with an old friend from her formative years. Regina Mills and her associate Kathryn Nolan were creating new inventions in the business of getting folks off: Steam powered vibrators and state of the art masturbatory aids. Kathryn had arrived the day before, Regina was conspicuously absent. Kathryn had spent the evening showing off the wonderful devices. Mal had been hard at work educating the girls on their functions before the big bugs blew in.

There was much to do around the ranch. Hired hands were setting up the ballroom for the notorious poker tournament that the ranch funded and ran annually. Outlaws, cowboys, cheaters and winners came from as far as the Carolina's to partake in the grandest event of debauchery of the year.

The wind chime rang announcing new visitors had arrived at the Enchantica. Maleficent took a final puff from her long pipe and rose from her sitting room to greet her guest and find out what perversion they wished to indulge.

….

"You gotta take the right amount of dew, otherwise you'll be stuck between hay and grass," Emma warned as she dismounted Aspasia two miles east of the Enchantica. She helped Regina down silently, holding her around the waist and catching her as she slid off the leather saddle and into Emma's arms.

"Not quite a man, but no longer a woman…" Regina looked into her eyes and whispered her understanding.

"Right," Emma let go reluctantly and procured a small vile with a carved ivory snakehead cap that hung on a thick chain around her neck. She pulled out a droplet of thick yellow oil and placed it on her tongue. Regina shifted with nerves, worried on how she was dressed. No man would wear skirts and corsets. She needed to use magic to alter her feminine clothing.

Before her eyes Emma transformed. Her eyes remained green and pretty, but her body lengthened and her girth increased. Stubble grew rapidly on her cheeks and chin and her muscles bulged against the material of her clothing. Her once baggy leathers were now tight, definition of the muscle evident against the stretched fabric.

"Marvelous!" Regina exclaimed her eyes glittery as she drank in Emma's new form. "My turn."

Emma pinched the dropper in her now enlarged hands and gave Regina a look to confirm she was certain that she wanted to use this magic and become a man. She opened her mouth and Emma placed just a drip of the powerful magical liquid on her tongue. No sooner had she closed her mouth and gotten a small taste of the putrid potion when the effects immediately began to take hold. Her perspective changed as she looked down, her eyes were now farther from the ground.

Her dress bunched and tore at the chest and waist where she had broadened and extended. The coursing magic heightened her senses and she felt a strange sensation of ripe irritation mixed with euphoria as the male hormones surged through her transforming body. In awe, she felt the new roughness of her skin and touched the dark beard that had blossomed on her face.

She shifted on her feet, and her eyes widened as she felt a newly grown appendage pushing against undergarments between her legs.

"You make just as handsome a man as you do a lady, Regina. What shall I call you now?"

"Rex," Regina replied in wonder as though she had given it thought beforehand. The name felt right and suited her new masculine form.

"Rex in a dress," Emma whistled low and long, smiling with twinkling eyes. "How do you feel?"

"Different…when we arrive, I wish to see myself in a looking glass. I need sharp new clothes, let's get on with it," Regina tried to keep her enthusiasm at bay, but she was entranced by this wonderful magic and eager to get to get to the ranch. Even her voice was deeper and vibrant in her chest.

With concentration she used an old spell to envelope her new body in a swirl of violet smoke and change her satins and corsets into a waistcoat, shirt and new trousers. She would have to perfect the magic outfit when they arrived at the ranch, and she could take her time, but she felt much better knowing she looked the part of a man.

The last two miles took some time as the added mass from Aspasia carrying two burly men instead of two slim ladies added weight to his load. The magic that Regina had used had worn out, and the gears on the great beast were slowing and grating as they churned.

Regina still took the opportunity to feel Emma's chest and sides, transfixed by the difference in her new figure. "How long will this magic last?"

"A day or two tops," Emma turned her head and looked at Regina in puzzlement. "How long do you plan to keep us at this damned brothel?"

"A day or two… tops," Regina answered in turn. "Are you sure you've never been here before?"

Emma didn't reply, but a patch of red appeared on her cheeks and she turned around quickly as they rode up the long path to Enchantica. Dismounting the horse was a bit of a challenge due to Regina's new weight distribution. Emma effortlessly jumped down first as Regina sat back in the saddle to give her room. As she had before, she took Regina around the waist and helped her down.

"Ever the gentleman," Regina chuckled, realizing how ridiculous they looked as a pair of men riding together. The brothel seemed rather empty, but that may have had to do with its sheer size. The sun was just setting as they stepped up on the porch, tired and excited for what lay ahead.

Wind chimes rang softly and the sound carried off in the evening breeze as they entered the establishment. No one would call it a traditional business, and even though plenty of ladies of the night made Enchantica their permanent residence, no one would refer to the mansion as 'home.'

They stood in the main foyer waiting to be greeted when a curly haired blonde in a fancy dress, impossibly small waist, with sharp eyes and an edgy face appeared from behind a doorway. Regina recognized her immediately of course, she wondered if Kathryn had made it by coach after all, but she didn't want to give her identity away to Maleficent. It had been years since they'd known each other as friends, and Regina didn't know if she could trust the proprietress as it was now.

"Howdy Gentlemen," the woman smiled, and spoke in a soft southern sounding drawl, there was a strong English influence on her accent mixed with the deep tones of Louisiana. "Welcome to best whorehouse in the entire West! I see you boys are making an early journey before tomorrow's tournament."

The woman's eyes flitted over Emma, "Aww, and a familiar face. The Maverick, back again so soon! I didn't know you were partaking in tomorrow's poker game, but I'll let the girls know to add you to the roster and get your buy in."

"Poker?" Emma asked out loud, but quickly clamped her mouth shut when she caught on that Regina was looking at her knowingly.

Regina's lips parted and curled up in a smile. So Emma, rather -the Maverick- was no stranger to the brothel after all. She didn't blame her. Since taking on the form of 'Rex', Regina had been able to think about nothing but the diffused ache emanating from her groin. No wonder men acted as they did, it was hard to concentrate on important matters while carrying around an insatiable and wanting pecker in her pants all of the time.

"My name is Maleficent and I'll be your guide in picking out a lady that will delight and satisfy all of your appetites," she looked Emma up and down with kindness. "No matter how strange…we don't judge," she finished pointedly, her voice lowering at the end of the statement.

"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Rex, and you __apparently__ already know my…colleague, the Maverick…" Regina introduced herself and gestured to an embarrassed looking Emma, who immediately cast her gaze downwards and gave an awkward wave in acknowledgement. "We are here for the poker tournament tomorrow, and a bit of fun…"

"I do believe that can be arranged," Maleficent straightened her spine and placed one hand on her hip, and two fingers between her lips, whistling before she called out, "Girls we got customers, quit your dilly dallying and come down here."

There was the sound of high pitched female voices and the shuffling of feet against the wooden floor of the establishment as seven women appeared from the stairway and from behind closed doors. They soon presented themselves in a line up.

"Girls, I warned you it was going to get busy around here, and these early birds are the first of our guests. They are looking to have a grand evening and I trust you're all prepared to give them the biggest bang for their buck," Maleficent paced back in forth in front of her gallery of whores, showing them off with pride.

"Just holler when you see one…or two…that catch your eye, boys," Maleficent called over in aside.

"My girls are the best, have I mentioned that? Enchantica boasts a large menu of services, and some girls have specialties and acts that are rare and highly coveted in these parts. Take for instance this shy little flower, here."

A round faced girl, with rosy cheeks and soft looking skin, took a step forward and slowly raised her hem to show off white stockings and garters fastened tightly to her shapely thighs while Maleficent continued with her pitch.

"To look at her you'd think she was pure as the driven snow, but when she gets a-goin' there ain't no stopping her. She __fucks__ like her life depends on it. A perfect little whore..,if you've got the stamina to keep up…"

The introductions continued: a long haired woman who went by the name Godiva, a spunky red head with hair so big and flaming red that from a distance you'd think she was on fire, and there was a girl who specialized in foot massage and loved to have her toes sucked if that happened to be your fetish.

Other girls loved to be spanked and pinched as they were fucked, and the Madam insisted that the pain only heightened their pleasure. They had a woman who would have sex with her dog if you paid extra, and a whole assortment of oddities.

Regina and Emma listened to the pitch out of courtesy, but it was evident Emma wasn't looking to act on satisfying her base needs in front of her travel mate, and Regina wasn't interested in any of the whores at hand. She turned her focus back to the proprietress who was still speaking about her fine young whore who liked to be fucked in her sleep.

"All of the whores are just astounding, but my companion and I aren't fit for hogs after the day we've had. Do you have a room we could take tonight? Perhaps get a bath, a hot meal and a hard drink first?"

Emma followed dutifully, shaking her head as a few of the whores tried to take her hands and brush against her manhood in flirtation. "You're all just so pretty, it ain't right choosing," she said to flatter and brush the pouting girls off.

Maleficent stood in the doorway of one of the inn rooms on the upper level, while Regina eagerly entered and raced to the mirror. Emma watched intently and then averted her gaze and held her hat against her stomach and studied the floor.

"We have some very new and thrilling services that I'd like to show you two once you're settled and groomed up. Come out to the bar and have a drink, cool your heels, you gents must be getting on after a long sore day of travel. Ta ta."

[1] A word for a raunchy musical

Rating: Mature **Archive Warning** **:** **Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings** Categories: F/F M/M Fandom: Once Upon a Time (TV) Relationship: Evil Queen | Regina Mills/Emma Swan Characters: Emma Swan Evil Queen | Regina Mills Rumplestiltskin | Mr. Gold Maleficent (Once Upon a Time) Abigail | Kathryn Nolan Belle (Once Upon a Time) Snow White | Mary Margaret Blanchard Additional Tags: Old West steam punk genderbender Swan Queen - Freeform Drama Action poker tournament Brothels whores steam powered sex toys Language: English Collections: SQBB IV: Four Letter Words Stats: Published: 2016-02-07 Completed: 2016-02-07 Words: 17300 Chapters: 6/6 Comments: 5 Kudos: 46 Bookmarks: 5 Hits: 684


	3. What kind of man loves like this?

"To let me dangle at a cruel angle  
Oh my feet don't touch the floor  
Sometimes you're half in and then you're half out  
But you never close the door What kind of man loves like this?" ~Florence + the machine

 **...**

Regina vainly enjoyed her new appearance in the mirror as Emma reclined on the bed behind her and watched silently.

She turned her head from side to side and fussed with her tailcoat and her green ring, transferring it back and forth from her left finger to her right.

"Remarkable," she breathed out in wonder as she flexed her fingers and then toyed with her well-kept beard. "I must admit, being a real man isn't quite how I thought it would feel."

"Will you quit looking at yourself in that mirror and go take your bath? I'm getting antsy sitting over here just waiting. I want to know the plan," Emma rolled her neck from side to side while Regina stared at her in awe, still taken by the powerful magical transformation.

"All in good time," Regina flicked her wrist to wave Emma off, and caught sight of herself in the mirror once again getting distracted by the heavy close cropped facial hair she had. She frowned and changed her stance, spreading her legs and pushing her hand rather than waving it. "I need to work on my gesturing and posture. I still move like a woman."

"Yeah, you do," Emma confirmed, a grin spread on her bearded face and she gave a low whistle in mocking.

"My, my, when did you get so talkative?" Regina peered at Emma in the reflection of the mirror and glared, arching an eyebrow. She started to undress. When she pulled off her blazer she caught sight of the man behind her still watching her. "Ehem, will you kindly turn away, and stop looking at me like that."

Emma's cheeks colored red and she pulled her hat down over her eyes momentarily, "Ain't nothing I never seen before."

She busied herself by taking out her rag and polishing her big golden gun, making sure it shined.

"This is my baby," she cooed, stealing one more glance at Regina's now bare flat chest. A flurry of chest hair had sprouted between where her full breasts used to be, but instead impressive pectoral muscles were on display. "Tesla compressor to spit out bullets, it's real heavy though. Hard to carry when I'm—."

"A woman?" Regina laughed, and the sound carried a deep resonating timbre that still delighted and surprised her. Stray thoughts consumed her mind, they were stuck for the night in a whore house and she had a certain new toy that she desperately wanted to play with.

"Yeah," Emma shrugged, turning onto her side and laying her gun next to her.

"Tell me, Starling, you seem very familiar with the women in this residence. Do you enjoy turning into a man and sticking your dingus in the willing and perverted whores?" Regina was growing bold, and she half expected Emma to chastise her or storm out of the room, but instead she regarded the question coolly.

"A man has needs…stronger even than when I'm in my regular body," Emma explained, no longer sounding embarrassed for her love of debauchery and sex with whores.

"Is sex so much different as a man?" Regina licked her lips and slid her hand down her stomach, letting her fingers splay out just above her belt buckle.

"It's more intense…I feel powerful, like I'm doing the doin' and not just getting done," Emma mused thoughtfully. "We're here anyhow, might as well get your dick wet."

At that, Regina's opinion of her enigmatic companion changed. She had taken Emma as a loner, who was just trying to survive on her own, but she starting to see the woman had a certain appreciation for life. One that Regina shared.

"Yes, I think that would be favorable. My business partner Kathryn is around here somewhere with our new inventions. Most of them were built and designed with women in mind, and I've thoroughly tested them, make no mistake, but a few were designed for men. I've only been able to imagine how the machines would feel for a man."

Regina pushed her fingers lower, down over the rough material of her pants and massaged her new cock lightly. The sensation was different, albeit pleasant. A man's genitals were external, more exposed. There was a certain freedom in the experience.

"When Kathryn calls send her to me," Regina nodded once at Emma and unfastened her heavy belt, she unbuttoned her trousers and pulled them down her square hips, stepping over to the semi-private wooden tub. The water was lukewarm at best, having been filled sometime before, but she relished the opportunity to think and relax for a moment.

Naked, she stared at her new appendage, testing it, her thoughts going stray again. She found the more she rubbed it the harder it got, and the better it felt. It was such a silly looking thing, but quite pleasurable to get to learn. A deep moan escaped her lips and she bristled in shock.

It wasn't as familiar as her sorely missed clitoris. She knew just how to stroke to build herself up for a fine release. She was uncoordinated and unaccustomed with her cock, it was the same feeling she got when she rode a bigger horse she was unfamiliar with. She knew what to do, but it was different.

A knock came to the door, and heard Emma grumble before the springs on the bed squeaked and the door opened. "Miss Kathryn I presume?"

"Hello, Sir…I beg your pardon, I was told Miss Regina Mills was lodged in this room," Kathryn stated sounding surprised to be greeted by the manly Emma. She also sounded rather flustered, perhaps she recognized Emma from the stagecoach robbery.

"She's here, told me to send you in."

"Regina?" Kathryn was just behind the heavy curtain. "Is that you back there?"

"Kathryn, before you see me, I need to give advance warning—"

At that Kathryn stepped behind the partition looking frightened and confused.

"Who the hell are you?" She snapped, her eyes scanning the nude male form from head to toe. She had a hard look on her face, and her hands were on her hips, looking entitled to an explanation… a good explanation.

"It's me, I'm in disguise," Regina pursed her lips in annoyance, and rested her hands on the back of the tub, letting her business partner look her over.

"You can't be serious? Why the hell are you wearing a man's skin? And how did you even get here? I was so worried when you took off after that robber…" She lowered her voice, but kept rambling rapidly. "Who is out there in your room? Are you and the bandit magical friends or something? Tell me what's going on, right now!"

Regina was used to her partner's behavior. She continued the business partnership because Kathryn had a great sense for the legal details and had filed patents on many of their devices. She also willingly tested the prototypes and gave open and honest feedback.

"Yes, I'm with the highwayman, but I wouldn't call us friends exactly… she's- he is helping me with something, and we're in disguise so we can join the poker tournament tomorrow. Rough magic this is," Regina chuckled and flicked a bit of bathwater at Kathryn, amused by her frustration and confusion.

"Well, after you left me alone and half scared out of my mind—"

"You made it here all in one piece and with our merchandise, I assume?" Regina wasn't about to let Kathryn give her a guilt trip. She didn't know the whole story of Regina's motives, after all.

"Yes, Madame Mal is very happy with the wonder vibrator… she tried it out on several of the girls with astounding results. Then she tried it on herself, and offered to try it on me…" Kathryn wrung her gloved hands together, as she bragged about their client's satisfaction.

"You used the big one, with the extra force I hope?" Regina sat forward in the tub, very pleased to hear that the steam powered vibrators were going to be a hit and hopefully bring in a good profit.

"Of course, I used the big one, it took a time to set up by myself, but I managed," Kathryn said in her sly and passive-aggressive way. Regina ignored her.

"Please tell me the gentlemen's line is fully operational."

"Of course, you know we were hoping it would appeal to Mal's business senses," Kathryn said as if it was a given. "She only has so many girls and they can only have so much sex before they get tired. With the poker tournament and all those men – yourself included- coming in tomorrow we're gonna make a mint."

"Emma and I would like to try out the gadget that replaced the glory hole. Do you see how great this opportunity is for us to make money?" Regina rubbed soap over her arms and chest as she spoke with Kathryn.

"Ugh, I can't believe you have a Johnson right now," Kathryn seemed fixated on Regina's new appendage. "You came back for the biggest business meeting we've ever had after ditching me, half way here, and bringing along a untrustworthy thief and to top it off you have a-a cock!"

"Well, that's because I plan to enter the men's only tournament and get close to a certain subject that I haven't been able to meet with and he has something very important that belongs to me, and my new-friend-the Maverick, is going to help me achieve my goals," Regina calmly explained distracted by her cock as lathered it with soap.

There were certain things that she planned to do that her business partner didn't know or need to know of. "Now, if we happen to sell some of my inventions to the Enchantica ranch and we both profit. I consider that a win-win. Now, Kathryn, please bring us that steam powered dick sucking machine."

Emma appeared next to Kathryn, she blinked and sniffed, rubbing the back of her hand over her lips as she tried to avoid looking at Regina in the bath.

"What's wrong, starling? Worried that mine is bigger?" Regina flicked some water at Emma and then stood up letting the water run down her body and into the tub.

"You wish," Emma snickered, not backing down.

"Well, then we may have to make a comparison," Regina snarked as she began to redress back into formal wear, and wincing slightly at the sharp pull as her chest hair got caught in the shirt buttons. She combed her hair, and slipped in some pomade to make it look slick.

"What's this machine you two are talking about?"

Regina smiled brightly. She scarcely recognized herself in the mirror, but her dark eyes were the same and shining with anticipation.

….

"We used to have one of the girls stuff herself in a barrel with a hole cut in the side. The men in Gold's town would pay a fee and just come and stick their johnson's in to get sucked right, but Dr. Whale says oral sex is very unsanitary and the other girls didn't respect the ones who were designated cocksuckers," Maleficent was giving a brash semi-promotional speech about the new-fangled glory hole replacement that Regina had invented.

Everyone knew that Maleficent was the second richest person in the area. Her unmarried whores were free to do as they pleased and earned a great wage even despite the belt tightening happening in Gold's Town.

"They're the independent royalty of west. The men come bringing gifts and money, anything to get a taste of one of my Enchantica Whores. So tell me who has the power here?" Maleficent walked in front of Emma, Regina and Kathryn down the corridor as they made their way to the new toy room.

"I hope Rex and Emmet like our offerings," Kathryn said as she winked at the two men beside her.

"If they do I plan to install one of these toys in all fifteen rooms of my whore house, certainly the new toys you brought for the girls to enjoy are going to wear out… though my Chinese girl almost burned her clit off with the steam."

"Sounds powerful, indeed," Regina chimed in, she knew how easily one could burn themselves on the steam powered vibrators, but she found the risk of severe bodily injury heightened the intense pleasure.

"Yes, I hope to increase my female clientele," Maleficent nodded in agreement. "I'm still tingling from this afternoon."

The invention stood proudly in the center of an empty room. There were plies, pipes and levers, with chains connecting the wheels that spun when Kathryn powered it up. At waist height was a small hole in the metal machine. There was the sound of rushing steam and then a mechanical churning sounds as the sucking mechanism was activated.

"Alright, who is going first?"

"I for one, am very intrigued," Regina walked right up to the invention she had proudly built and undid her buckle and fly. She couldn't wait to experience how it felt. "Erm, do I need to be erect to start?"

"I think if you put your willy in the hole, it will harden up right quick," Kathyrn encouraged as she checked the dials and made sure the machine was starting off at a safe level for a sound sucking.

Regina swallowed hard, beads of sweat trickled down her brow. She was nervous, that she couldn't deny. The last thing she needed was to have her new cock bitten off by a defective masturbatory aid.

"Don't be frightened, sir," Maleficent purred with her hands on her hips. She looked overly intrigued, her eyes wide and mouth half open in wonder.

Slipping herself inside the contraption, Regina hobbled forward just a bit trying to relax and get comfortable. She closed her eyes and listened to the rhythmic sound of the push and pull of the pistons as the machine warmed up. Her dick was gripped softly, much like it had felt when she stroked it in the bath, then a warm mist surrounded her and the sensation of having a gentle pair of lips enveloped her member. She released the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding, and splayed her palms out on either side of the big machine.

"Oh gods," she breathed as she groaned into the feeling. Her manhood was so sensitive, and just as Kathryn had assured her, she felt blood rush to the area as her erection grew impossibly stiff.

The machine milked at her cock, never missing a beat as she began to time the thrust of her hips into it, "It's heavenly," her breath was coming in short, almost painful sounding gasps, and she felt sweat seeping down her back and soaking through her cotton shirt and vest.

Being as it was her first experience, she felt the tension and build of up of her very first man-conceived orgasm drawing near. With a few more hurried and erratic thrusts she felt her seed rush from her balls through her shaft and spill out and into the inner workings of the machine.

After she'd cum, her dick was even more sensitive. She felt sleepy and blissed out. "Oh, starling, you must get your cock feasted on by this creation."

Emma had the watched the whole endeavor, she was already absently stroking her already hard dick through her leathers. "It's really that good?"

"Not as good as a woman's cunt, I'm sure, but the machine blows and sucks well," Regina was still breathing hard as she removed herself from the hole and quickly redid her pants. "See for yourself."

Taking her place in front of the machine, Emma removed her gun holster, and set it carefully on the floor. Unbuttoning her pants, she took her turn at the hole, and let the machine do its job.

She grunted unevenly as the pace picked up, a fresh stream of steam bellowed from the sides of the contraption as valves popped open and closed quickly. Kathryn turned up the speed as an experiment, and Emma threw back her head in pleasure.

Regina felt sympathetic pangs of arousal already stirring anew as she watched, examining Emma's half exposed buttocks as the muscles contracted and expanded as she thrust into the glory hole. It didn't take long for her to cum as well, all three women—technically, two women and a woman-turned man- watched as Emma banged her fist on the machine and let out a whoop of joy.

"Woo, doggy, that was wild!" She exclaimed, showing uncharacteristic abandon.

"Gentlemen, I think we're in business," Maleficent intoned saucily. "Drinks?"


	4. gunshot, I'll never get you back

Lay me down in your ocean  
Carry me and my burden  
I was dreaming about you honey  
I was hoping you'd save me And the shot goes through my head and back  
Gunshot, can't take it back  
My heart cracked, really loved you bad  
Gunshot, I'll never get you back –Lykke Li "Gunshot"

 **...**

Lionel Gold happened to be a very rich and very frightening man. When people met him face to face they were surprised by his small stature and fragile looking appearance. He walked with a cane, and always had a grimace on his face. His teeth, what were left of them, were yellow and gold and when he stood over his town looking down from his well-guarded compound the sun would occasionally catch the gold and light his weathered face as if it glittered.

Despite his crotchety looks, no one ever underestimated his power to inflict severe harm on anyone who crossed him. He was known as a tyrant who treated his workers like slaves. Gold's town was a series of shanties and supply stores that had popped up near his industrial factory to house and supply his bevy of workers.

Despite long hours of dangerous work manufacturing flying zeppelins and tools of war, his employees' were zombified. He worked them just hard enough to get all he could out of them, sometimes he worked them till toes and fingers fell right off, some men said in hushed whispers at the local saloon.

Gold paid his workers in his own currency. He had it printed in his mint and kept careful checks and balances to ensure his people stayed his people. Those who had tried to save up funds to escape their miserable lives and find better work were punished.

Those who made a run in the night, carrying away crying babes and fretting wives were never seen from again. Maybe they got away, or maybe they were caught by Gold's men. He had an army of macha at his disposal, gaining passage in and out of town was not an easy feat. Gold's mansion was guarded by mechanical crocodiles that slowly putzed around the perimeter. Their spinning gears and heavy claws shook the ground as they went, powerful jaws with jagged bronze teeth snapped at anyone or anything that came within reach.

There were many legends surrounding the man known as Lionel Gold himself. There was a rumor that he had died in a gold expedition back in 1870 and the man who called himself gold was a creature who had crawled out of a cave after a landslide and wore human skin like a dressing gown.

A popular theory of the time, was that Lionel Gold was immortal. He used an ancient and unstoppable magic to stay alive forever. It was said that back in rush days he had been a simple man, a farmer who happened to stumble on a field of gold nuggets. There he had found something else, something that had changed him and given him magic.

That was the true reason the poor unfortunate souls of Gold's Town stayed, worked, and died there: fear. Fear of the unknown, and fear of death. Though outsiders maintained the opinion that death would be a sweet release from the cruel and unusual work tasks that Gold required of his force. Many people in Gold's town had lost limbs in the factory. They were each fitted with a stunning and functional prosthesis that made it possible for even those who lost their legs to walk, and more importantly, to work.

Lionel Gold had two weaknesses, and Regina intended to exploit them. There were only three people in the entire West who knew: Regina, Maleficent and a sweet little French born whore named Belle.

Gold was due to arrive at the poker tournament at any moment, and Regina kept checking her pocket watch, and alternating her attention from Emma, who sat at her side, and the woman who would be her ticket to Gold's undoing: Belle.

Gold could not resist the temptations of gambling. He liked to make deals and had a way of manipulating the stakes to make sure he always came out on top.

Regina leaned over and straightened the red scarf she had personally adorned Emma with. She looked sharp in her red coat, with her goggles around her neck, and a tight fitting vest.

After the events of the previous day, Regina had laid awake most of the night marveling at the feeling of being a man, and also worried about what would happen during the game.

The Enchantica Ranch was hosting a poker tournament with a large buy in and high stakes. Maleficent was looking to make plenty of money. Men came to enjoy the game, but also the drink and the ladies were there whether they won or lost.

The ballroom had been set up with round wooden tables; an abundance of chips, hired dealers had been brought in from the East and were thoroughly vetted for impartiality. The tournament was prided on a fair reputation and any sign of cheating or hustling would be dealt with swiftly.

Sitting was assigned by the luck of the draw, and once the players took their seats they were not allowed to change. As the men arrived by coach and horse the ballroom began to fill with men. The whores worked the room, offering a look at their bodies, tobacco and aguardiente[1].

"I ain't that great at poker," Emma mumbled with a shrug when Regina nodded to her to enter the playing room.

"That's fine, it's better if you lose early," Regina suggested in a whisper. Their focus was on Gold. The hope was he'd be drunk, focused on the game and the girl he liked and thus vulnerable. The plan was simple, at some point during the game Emma was to capture Belle, and hold a gun to her head. Regina would demand he make a trade: Belle would be spared if Gold gave Regina what he had that she wanted.

Smoke and raucous chatter quickly set the atmosphere of the room, while Rex and the Maverick took their assigned seats. Guns weren't allowed on the gaming floor, but Regina had magicked Emma's pistol in ahead of time, and it was fixed under the table at her seat.

"I gotta grease my holler, it will look suspicious if I don't have a bracer[2]," Emma asserted when one of the curvaceous and exotic whore named, Jasmine, came by with a tray.

"Just one, I don't need you drunk and off your mark. Your wits aren't sharp enough sober to go toe to toe with Gold," Regina rolled her eyes, but smiled at Jasmine as she sat glasses of whiskey down at the table.

It was then that Lionel Gold himself entered the room, a hush fell over the other players as some men literally shook in their boots at the mere sight of the man. He was small in stature, greasy half grey, half brown hair fell almost to his shoulders. He was clean shaven, dressed in a fine suit and relied on a cane to correct his troubled gait. He nodded to a few men as he took his seat at the table next to Regina and Emma.

"What's our backup plan if things go south?" Emma squeezed Regina's knee under the table.

Regina was reading the room, she recognized Butch Cassidy and Doc Holliday from their Wanted posters, and reckoned that if she were akin to killing the men with a bounty on their heads she'd make a pretty penny. She wasn't interested in that as her only focus was getting one up on Gold.

"Let's just hope this works. We have one chance, and if I get what I want you'll get paid handsomely," Regina's dark eyes flitted over Emma, sizing her up. She had to put her trust in her accomplice. "Then we can part ways…"

"Alright," Emma braced her jaw, and stared at the dealer as he started passing out cards.

The games moved quickly, bets were raised, and hands were played. Players were eliminated as the game wore on. Some men became too intoxicated to continue, a few players were dealt out on a few hands for disruptive behavior, and some of the gents were overpowered by lust and folded to go take a whore to bed.

Emma was still in the game after a few rounds, but Regina hadn't been paying enough attention to other players and went out on a weak hand. She had to leave the table immediately, but stayed in the playing area watching and waiting for the perfect opportunity.

It was no surprise that as the players dwindled, Gold stayed in the game and was winning with the biggest pile of chips, neatly stacked in front him. His dark eyes kept vigilant watch on the surrounding players, his only tell was the slight twitch of his upper lip.

Belle, dressed in a beautiful golden gown, corseted waist and flowing brown curls kept by his side. Maleficent watched over the games proudly. She kept a tight rein on her girls, and made sure no men's drinks went dry. She leaned against the bar, her arms crossed in front of her, and tilted her head to speak to Rex when he came up beside her.

"Gold may be winning, but he's still good for business. Many of the gents wanted a chance to beat him, and he dropped a fortune on a private room and booked my girl there for all day and all night," Maleficent bragged. "He even brought her that fine dress, looks downright magical."

"Indeed," Regina agreed, her eyes never leaving Gold as she watched him win another hand, he greedily raked in his chips and giggled. Belle squealed in delight, bending down to kiss his cheek. The fucker was positively preening. Regina would end him, and wipe the mischievous haughty smirk on his face.

Everyone in the room started to take notice of Gold's table when one of the losing players started to throw a tantrum. Kicking and stomping and shouting that the game was rigged. "Eject that man from the Ranch," Maleficent ordered in a booming voice. Her brazen security team quickly surrounded the man, and attempted to lift him from his seat, pulling up on both of arms.

"I ain't goin' nowhere, this man's a cheat," the grumpy little man yelled. "Get the fuck offa me, you sorry sons of bitches!"

Regina saw the glint of the pistol as the man was pulled from seat, he twisted fast and freed his arm, pulling the gun from his waistband, and drawing it on Gold.

"Emma, now!" Regina yelled, this was the chaotic opportunity she was waiting for. In an instant, the Maverick had drawn her weapon from under the table, and was on his feet. He launched himself toward Belle, grabbing her roughly around the waist and pressing the gun to her temple.

Gold stood backed his chair up from the table, he was wide-eyed and frightened, his hands were up in the cowardly position of surrender. The pile of chips in front of him fell from their stacks and bounced off the table and floor.

"What's the meaning of this?" Maleficent yelled storming over to where Maverick had Belle.

"Now we don't mean no harm to no one," Emma addressed Gold. "My friend says you got something that belongs to her, and as you can see here, I have something that you think belongs to you."

"What? Who is your friend?" Gold was sputtering, his yellowed teeth dripped saliva as he sneered angrily at Emma.

"It's me," Regina stepped forward, holding out her hand and opening her palm. She directed a blast of red colored magic which hit Gold square in the chest, but it had little effect on him. His eyes blazed, "Regina? Impossible, you're…a man….your mother assured me you were…"

"What? Dead? Gone for good? Did you really think that I'd….."

Before Regina could finish her sentence, Gold snatched the gun from the drunk losing man, it seemed to fly through the air and into his hand. He pointed it at Regina, braced for the recoil and fired. Without thought, Emma let go of Belle and jumped backward, into the bullets path as she fired her own pistol straight at Gold's chest.

As she felt searing pain in her shoulder, as metal ripped through skin and muscle, she would tell Regina later that she was sure she saw the bullet that she had fired deflect right off of Gold's chest before she passed out from the pain.

Regina screamed when Emma fell, and after that everything seemed to speed up. Gold took Belle's hand and made a hasty escape, while Regina fixed all of her magic on him and tried to hit him as he ran through the room overturning chairs and pushing passed bystanders as he got away.

Tears sprung to her eyes as she dropped, defeated to her knees at Emma's side. She cradled her head in her hands, and watched as blood darker than Emma's jacket seeped through her shirt and vest.

"We need a doctor!" Regina screamed, her deep booming voice unrecognizable as she panicked, uncaring if she was acting more like a woman than a man. It no longer mattered if her true identity was revealed. It was all for nothing. Gold was gone with Belle and Emma was bleeding out in her arms.

"I'll call for Dr. Whale," Maleficent said with alarm as she picked up her skirts and ran from the room.

Regina ripped through Emma's vest and shirt, pulling it open and exposing her bare flat chest to inspect the bullet wound. She had never healed anything more than a superficial wound before with magic, but she had to try. She was hopeful that Emma would live through this, if she could summon out the bullet and close over the bleeding hole in her shoulder.

"You idiot! What the hell were thinking jumping in front of a bullet meant for me?" Regina was weeping openly, holding her hand over the wound, trying to summon her almost depleted magic as she felt more blood pour out from Emma.

With a gasping breath, Emma shuddered and blinked. She slowly opened her eyes and pleaded silently with Regina to save her. Regina sniffed back her tears, and shook her head, surprised by the powerful emotions she was experiencing at the thought of losing Emma.

On impulse, Regina bent down and kissed Emma on the lips recklessly. It would have been a foolish thing to do, if it hadn't actually worked.

A soft white light burst out from between them and expanded rapidly through the room and out and out in growing ring. When Regina opened her eyes and pulled back from Emma, she found she was no longer looking at bearded and flat chested man. Emma had returned to her true form. The bullet wound was healed and her bare chest now boasted a pair of full breasts and a much curvier figure all around.

Regina felt the change in herself immediately, her long hair was back as was her own petite womanly frame and features. "The kiss…" she breathed in wonder.

The men and whores in the room had circled around to watch and were shocked to see a pair of women replacing the two burly men in front of them.

"We need to get out of here, before anyone starts asking questions," Regina told Emma as started to clamor to her feet.

With a flick of her wrist, both of them were enveloped in thick purple smoke and disappeared from the ballroom.

[1] generic name for alcoholic drinks between 29 and 60 percent alcohol; literally, burning water

[2] an alcoholic drink intended to prepare one for something difficult or unpleasant.


	5. Rattle Your Hocks

"He made off with Belle, damn it!" Regina paced back and forth, her hands on her hips. Using the last of her magic, she changed her suit into a long black dress, and piled her hair into a neat up do.

Emma reclined on the bed, quiet and solemn. She was replaying the events of the poker championship over and over in her head. She muttered, "We have to go after her."

Regina spared her a glance, and growled, "We almost had him, and now he's taken our one bargaining chip. This was where he would be vulnerable, and now that's he's retreated back to his guarded compound I don't see any way of getting to him. There's no way I can use magic there, and when I tried it was ineffective."

Emma sat up and patted the bed, motioning for Regina to take a load off for a moment and think things through. "We gotta try. The bastard tried to shoot you."

Regina threw her head back and laughed. The bastard had shot Emma. They had missed their chance to end Gold's evil reign over the town and get back what was Regina's.

"It's too dangerous. You saw with your own two eyes. He can't be killed," Regina hung her head in worry. "I'll never get to see him again."

"Why would you want to see that beastly man anyhow?" Emma asked, her brows furrowing in confusion.

"Not Gold…my son," Regina admitted quietly, looking down at the floor. She blinked heavily, her voice dropping. "Henry, my son's name is Henry."

"Henry, that's a good name," Emma started to wrap her arms around Regina in comfort, but hesitated. Regina noticed Emma retracting and grabbed her hand, pulling it around her shoulders, she wanted the touch.

She hadn't meant to tell Emma the reason she needed to stop Gold, but the fact that she had failed, and only made him suspicious was weighing on her mind. Now he had Belle, Henry and all of the advantages. The people in his town were suffering from wage cuts, and longer hours. They lived in constant fear of the macha that roamed through the shanty town and made sure everyone was kept in line.

"We're going after him… Belle too," Emma said resolutely as Regina felt her squeeze her arm around her a bit tighter. "How did that dang bastard get yer kid?"

The question didn't surprise Regina, she looked into Emma's soft eyes, and checked her shoulder where the bullet had entered making sure that she was still okay. Regina took Emma's hand that was wrapped around her and gently shifted until they were laying side by side in bed. The use of magic had taken a toll on her, and she needed a bit of time to recharge and think things through. Having Emma near here seemed to help immensely.

"I was Gold's apprentice. My mother practically sold me to the man when I was younger, and he got his claws hooked into my skin for a long while… taught me magic, taught me business… but it wasn't right. He was power hungry and greedy, and I finally escaped. I went East, tried to forget about things, and have a life."

Emma wrapped her arms around Regina with confidence and nuzzled into her neck, humming at the feeling. Regina relaxed, enjoying the warm embrace. It had been far too long since she'd known the touch of another person. The previous night the two, as men, had shared the same bed, but they were both nervous and fitful in their own ways, and after trying out the sex toys they had both just tried to sleep.

Regina felt an attraction to Emma as a man and as a woman. The fact that she had willingly jumped in front of Gold's gun to save Regina without regard or thought for her own wellbeing had touched Regina deeply.

"We're gonna rectify this situation, right away. I always a finish a job," Emma assured Regina softly stroking her hair until they both fell asleep thinking about Emma's promise.

…..

Regina knew Maleficent had been up most of the night trying to salvage the poker tournament, and keep her money. She also knew that she and Emma were likely to be kicked out of the ranch after the stunts they pulled and the only saving grace was the recommendation for the whore's doctor, Dr. Whale that Emma be left undisturbed while she healed. He was easily coerced by a bribe Regina had given him, to keep quiet about the magical healing.

Even though there had been an audience who watched both men change into women, Regina had Dr. Whale try and convince the most vocal ones that they had had too much to drink, and it was a figment of their drunken imaginations. After the incident the whole tournament had shut down.

Knowing that the proprietress had been up all night sorting out the books, Regina reasoned she'd probably be sleeping now and thus she had an opportunity to take something that she knew the woman had in her possession. It was a powerful object that would give her a chance of defeating Gold.

Emma was getting ready for their mission. She was armed to the teeth, and inspecting her big golden gun when Regina left the room. She found Kathryn in the sex toy room, working on installing the bucking bronco vibrator: a saddle with a large, rough vibrator attached.

"Regina!" Kathryn was surprised to see her partner, after hearing about the altercation the day prior. "I'd thought you'd gotten out of here. The men want your head for ruining their big game."

Regina's eyes darkened and she scoffed, "I don't know what they're more upset about: having a pair of women infiltrate their game, or the gunshots."

Kathryn threw her hands up, "Well, while you've been disguised as a dude and sticking your dick in toys, playing poker and dodging bullets, I've been stuck here doing all the work. Maleficent wants to keep her girls happy and talking to these whores they are insatiable. I need your help with the installations."

"I'm sorry, I have other plans," Regina admitted, "Besides it looks like you have the masturbatorium shaping up nicely. "By the way, I need to know where Maleficent keeps her personal possessions. Any ideas?"

"Regina, really?" Kathryn shook her head and crossed her arms in front of her. "You aren't thinking about doing what I know you're thinking about doing, because that would be rather foolish and…"

Regina's patience had worn thin, "Yes or no? Do you know where Maleficent keeps her artifacts and valuables?"

Kathryn sighed heavily, "In her private office, it's down the corridor off from the foyer and disguised by some hideous wallpaper. If you pull the bronze candle holder, second from the end on the right, the door opens."

"Thank you, Kathryn…." Regina turned around abruptly her focus single minded on searching the office for the object she hoped was there.

"Regina, wait!" Kathryn stopped her before she magicked herself away. She turned and looked at her partner wearily. "Be careful. And I assume you're taking that thief as your wingman? I don't know about her…him…whatever."

"That thief saved my life yesterday and yes, she is coming with me. We're going to take down Gold. I don't know what will happen, but if I don't return, please…keep the business going. Those vibrators are my legacy."

With that sentiment Regina disappeared up in smoke.

…..

The hallway was clear when she rematerialized in front of the salmon colored hideously patterned wall paper. She scanned the light fixtures and grabbed the handle, and the doorway opened revealing the entryway into the office. It was dark, so she summoned a fireball into her hand to use as a torch.

The office was neat with tall cases on the walls holding random items that Maleficent had kept over the years in exchange for sexual favors from her bevy of whores. It didn't take Regina long to find the item she was looking for: a long staff with a glass globe on top encasing a small scroll.

Regina breathed out a sigh of relief, and her hands trembled slightly as she grabbed the staff, and poofed herself to the stable where Emma was waiting with Aspasia.

The mechanical horse was warmed up and ready, a strong stream of steam blew from her nostrils, as Emma fastened her goggles over her eyes and held out a hand to help Regina up onto the leather saddle.

"Let's go, my Starling," Regina's tone was urgent as she held the staff across her thighs. She was nervous and fearful, but resolute as the pair galloped away from the Enchantica Ranch and heads towards Gold's town.

"How did Gold get hold of your son?" Emma shouted over the heavy sound of Aspasia's footfalls as dust and sand kicked up around them on the road.

"My mother took him from me," Regina closed her eyes at the painful memory and gripped the staff tighter. "This isn't going to be easy, and I fear that you coming along for this will jeopardize your life."

Emma turned slightly so she could be heard, "I have a grudge against Gold that needs settlin' too. When I was nothing but a baby, my parents worked for Gold in one of his New York factories [1]making flyin' machines. Gold would lock them in so they were forced to work. A fire broke out and no one could get out. Lost them that day in the accident, so I'm told. Never knew em', been on my own as soon as I was old enough to get on the orphan train[2]."

Regina felt tears prick at her eyes, imagining the things that young Emma had endured. She felt a pang of guilt now knowing her companion truly was a Maverick.

"People from all over would meet at the orphan train at the station and inspect the kids like we were horses being sold at an auction. The ones deemed strong and healthy enough for labor were taken and put to work on ranches and farms. I was a slight, little thing and always got passed over. I just kept coming west, until I got away. Started dressing like a boy to get some work, and earn my meals."

The harsh black smoke from Gold's town was starting to close in on them like night descending and dimming the rays of sunlight. Because of the thick, dense smoke, it was always dark amongst the shanty houses in the town. This worked to Regina and Emma's advantage as with Aspasia's fast feet and Emma's expert riding, it was easy to slip past the monstrous macha that patrolled the town border.

Gold's compound was easy to spot, towering above the small wooden shacks and shops of the town, it was a lavish looking castle of a building. Even through the coal smoke the trademark clock tower on top of the mansion was visible, the hands always ticking as a harsh reminder the people in the town could only look forward to long, punishing hours of work.

"I know a cloaking spell to hide Aspasia, it will take too much energy to conceal us, so we have to be quick in getting in," Regina jumped off the horse and Emma followed. They were in a narrow alleyway inside the town. Emma grabbed her guns and weapons, while Regina stretch out her hands and performed the spell, protecting Aspasia from harm.

"The people around here are so desperate they'd strip every part off and sell her copper," Emma mused sadly, she repositioned her goggles and the red scarf that protected her nose and mouth from dust and smoke.

Regina coughed lightly, squinting up at the clock tower up on the hill. "There's a barrier preventing me from using my magic to get inside. Henry's inside, I know it."

"What does Gold want with your boy? Did he put him to work?" Emma asked as they started down the deserted alley toward the East side of the compound. There was a deep trench preventing unauthorized persons from crossing, and over-sized mechanical crocodiles made from mis-matched metal with endlessly gnashing teeth covered the other side.

"My son is special, he has a certain power that Gold is trying to exploit," Regina confided. "Under the clock tower there's a library. I'm certain with my son's talents that is where he is kept."

"What power does he have?" Emma was watching the pattern of movement of the crocodiles, trying to figure out how they were going to cross the trench and get through. She brought out the coil of lasso she kept at her hip.

"Whatever he writes down comes true," Regina drawled with a mix of worry and pride. "My mother said it was cruel, but I kept Henry from education. He is illiterate, which is not uncommon, but we had a means for him to study under the best teachers. I always knew Gold would try to take to him, I never thought my own mother would betray me."

Emma had her eye on one of the crocodiles, she whipped the lasso around over her head, winding it up. "You trust me?"

Regina raised her eyebrows wondering what Emma had planned, and was all too certain she knew that whatever it was involved bone crushing crocodiles and stupidity. "I don't have any better ideas and I'm quite defenseless without the use of magic."

Emma laughed, "You're still sharp and pretty without magic."

"Was that a compliment?" Regina smirked and watched in awe as Emma threw the lasso and wrapped the coil around one of the crocodile's snouts. She pulled it tight, closing the monster's jaw so it could no longer snap.

"If we was men again, we could make that jump. I think if we get over the trench and on the back of that there croc- we can ride him right up to the hill," Emma was struggling to keep control of the rope and keep the crocodile under control so it couldn't break away. Without the ceaseless crunching of its jaws, it seemed to lose power.

Regina didn't hesitate in taking the snake head potion from Emma's necklace and placing a drop on her tongue, and one on Emma's. She knew that with the rough, feral power of the magic it would work despite the barrier surrounding the compound.

The transformation was almost instantaneous: muscles grew, as their bodies changed into men. Being taller and stronger worked like a charm. In a now or never moment, Emma took a running leap and jumped the trench, grabbing at the embankment on the far side. She pulled herself up and waited for Regina to follow suit.

Holding the staff with a death grip, Regina knew she'd never make the jump while holding the long heavy shaft. She broke the glass bulb and recovered the small scroll. Taking a deep breath, she ran and jumped, falling just short, Emma grabbed her hand and pulled her up to the other side.

They were locked together, Regina found herself caught up in Emma's sea green eyes, mesmerized and intrigued by how they shined and remained the same even when the rest of her body was so changed. Maybe it was the adrenaline and surging hormones, but Regina couldn't help herself: she ripped Emma's scarf down and kissed her as the crocodiles were closing in around them.

The magic they shared in the kiss broke the barrier and changed them back into their true forms instantly. Emma pulled back, touching Regina's face as it softened and became smooth again. "Damn it, you did it again. Your magic worked…"

"Our magic worked," Regina corrected as Emma swept her up and onto the back of the muzzled crocodile. They balanced together carefully on their stomachs as Emma learned how to steer the beast holding the lasso like reins, and making it climb the steep hill with its short spiky legs. Its claws dug into the steep side and took them up slowly but surely.

"I have an idea," Regina said, touching Emma's big golden gun that was strapped to her back. "You need to try and shoot Gold with your big gun."

"What if he dodges the bullet like last time?"

"He won't be able to, not with a gun of that size," Regina took a breath and concentrated, she splayed her fingers out on Emma's neck, drawing on the river of light magic that ran sparkling just under her skin, invisible. "I used __our__ magic to enchant the gun. The bullet will rip Gold's heart clean from his chest."

"And then what?" Emma asked as she crawled up the crocodile and stepped on its nose using it as a step to get up to the court yard. She pulled Regina up behind her, and she shook her head not answering Emma's question.

She didn't want to tell her what she had planned for Gold's blackened, immortal heart. The scroll she carried was a recipe for a dark curse: the main ingredient was the heart of the thing that she hated most.

Now over the trench and up the hill, they had managed to breach the compound without detection. Regina feared that Gold was already expecting them, letting them get inside. She brushed off the concern, and put her faith in Emma.

They had something together that Gold could not anticipate, their power was truly a match for the man who had once been her teacher. Holding Emma's hand, Regina tapped into their concurrently running magic and easily sprung the lock. The heavy door swung open and they darted inside, staying alert for the notorious guards that roamed Gold's house.

The problem with using robots was that they were mindless and unthinking. Though strong and powerful, they were easily avoided and foiled. Emma had her golden gun in her arms, as they raced toward the East wing.

As they rounded the corner two guards were stomping down the long hallway coming straight toward them. Regina took her hand again, they stopped abruptly in front of the tall robotic fearsome looking guards. She blasted them with a stream of red and white magic and as the magic connected square in the boxy chests of the macha, sparks began to fly as they were brought down to their knees, shorting out as they caught fire. Their shiny bronze blackened from the heat.

"Keep running, my Starling. I need you," Regina's eyes were wide open, her chest was heaving as she yelled breathlessly. She had missed this feeling of being in danger. Even though she had escaped Gold, she would always in ways be tempted by power and crave battle.

The clock struck the hour hand and sounded the time. "We're getting close," Emma spotted the door that was directly under the clock tower. It had to be the door to the library.

Both women paused in front of it.

"Whatever happens inside of here, I want you to know that I owe you my life," Regina whispered, her voice breaking with emotion.

"Don't mention it," Emma blushed and brushed her hair behind her ears.

Regina pushed on the heavy door, it opened easily. She wondered why Gold didn't have more difficult locks on the doors. She supposed he had many enemies, but few intruders.

Inside the library was quiet. Dusty books were aligned on shelves from floor to ceiling. In the middle of the room, Regina saw Belle. She was sitting on a chair reading oblivious to their entry.

Then her heart skipped a beat, and she had to stifle a gasp. Henry was sitting at a table, a small lantern illuminated his brown hair as open books with blank pages surrounded him. Regina's mother had a ruler in one hand and seemed to be teaching Henry, or forcing him to write.

"Mother," Regina made her presence known, Emma stood beside her, gun held up.

"Regina, we've been expecting you," Regina's mother's voice was cloying and pretentious. Regina twitched at the memory.

"Mom!" Henry twisted in his seat, a smile breaking out on his face when he heard Regina.

"Don't be rude, come greet your boy, Regina."

She couldn't help herself, she ran from the doorway to the table, spreading her arms as Henry launched himself into her, hugging her tightly. "I missed you," she whispered, kissing her son and holding him close to her.

"We haven't met, I'm Cora…and you must be the Maverick?" Regina's mother was sizing Emma up, stalking toward her. "You can put that gun down. Though I did expect you would come as a man. I hear you are quiet fond of that old spell."

"Give us the boy and the whore and there won't be no trouble, ma'am," Emma growled out in her deepest drawl.

"I'm afraid these two are far too important to our plans to just give them to a lowly thief such as yourself," Cora said as she came ever closer, sizing Emma up. "I hear my daughter has taken a liking to you. I'm not sure I see the appeal, but then again, Regina never had the best taste."

Regina stood up, unable to let go of Henry. She wrapped her arm around his shoulder and he clung to his mother fiercely. "Mother, keep your distance," she warned as Cora turned and rolled her eyes. She bunched her fists up, and obediently took a measured step back from Emma.

"I saw you were able to break the barrier that was supposed to keep out your magic, but it's of no consequence. We wanted you to come. You see, dear, Henry has been refusing to learn his studies, despite how important it is that he learns to read and write."

Regina felt proud of her son for staving off the brain washing that her mother was extolling on him. She caught movement in the corner of her eye and saw that Belle was trying to run from the room. As she opened another door that led out a different exit, Gold himself appeared in the doorway and blocked her path.

"Going somewhere, dearie?" He asked in a menacing tone, his yellowed teeth flashing as he looked from his girl taking notice of everyone in the library. Belle shook her head in fear, stepping back into the library and walking toward the table where the blank paged books lay.

Gold hobbled in using his cane to walk slowly to the center of the room. The tension was thick, Regina shared a look with Emma. She knelt down beside Henry and started to ask him something, but Cora smacked her ruler across her hand and Henry howled in pain, a bright red mark appeared on his cheek.

Regina stood up, nostrils flaring in anger. "How dare you use magic on my son!"

"It's called discipline, something you never provided your child. Believe me that he's much better off in my care," Cora hissed, keeping her eyes locked with Regina she smacked the ruler over her hand again, causing Henry to shriek and cry out.

"Stop!" Regina commanded, trying to launch a fireball at her own mother, but nothing happened, and she remembered her magic only worked when she drew from Emma. "Emma!"

Emma had her eyes on Gold as he lurched forward, she pursed her lips and held up her gun, firing it straight at Gold's chest. The bullet never hit as Gold deflected it just as he had before, but this time something did happen.

His jaw fell open and his eyes bulged as his heart was plucked from inside his chest just as Regina had said. It flew through the air, and into Regina's outstretched hand. When she had control of it, she squeezed. Gold dropped the pistol he had pulled from his holster before he could fire it at Emma and he crumpled to the floor in pain.

Smoke started to pour in from the open door, the macha that Regina had sat on fire were still burning and had managed to set the drapes on fire. It was now spreading down the hall and it wouldn't be long before the whole compound would go up in flames.

Regina squeezed Gold's heart again and ordered Cora to put down the enchanted ruler she was using on Henry. She whispered in Henry's ear and gave him the scroll from Maleficent's staff. He took it to his book and picked up his pen.

"But what do I write mom?" Henry asked urgently as he read the scroll and Regina started to enact a curse.

"You know what to write, I believe in you," Regina urged him as Emma moved to stand by her side. She grabbed her hand as magic began to mix with smoke in the room. Henry scribbled in the pages as Regina enacted the curse and squeezed Gold's heart. The heart of the thing she hated most.

Cora tried to stop it, but she was coughing and incapacitated, her counter magic proved ineffective. Books flew off the shelves as wind howled in library. Belle's hair swirled around her and she tried to protect herself from the flying books and magic.

Henry punctuated the end of the sentence he wrote with a period, and everything went black.

[1] Because the owners had locked the doors to the stairwells and exits – a then-common practice to prevent workers from taking unauthorized breaks and to reduce theft – many of the workers could not escape and jumped from the high windows.- ** **Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire****

[2] It is estimated that between 150,000 and 200,000 "orphans" boarded the trains and were relocated to new homes across the Midwest, as well as Canada and Mexico.


	6. The Beauty of Speed

We climbed through the canopy  
Only to find a crack in our gauge  
The last thing a look you gave  
And then we tumbled out of control  
I tried to strike a deal with  
The universe me and my  
Deals with the universe – Tori Amos 'Beauty of Speed'

...

 ** **1983: Storybrooke, Maine****

Regina came to first.

Her dark eyes fluttered open in confusion. She wasn't in the library of Gold's compound anymore. Light was streaming in from windows and she was in a soft bed, wearing a foreign feeling garment. She sat up and took in her surroundings. She saw blonde hair billowed out on the pillow next her: Emma was asleep. Their hands were joined under the bed covers.

"Emma?"

The woman beside her stirred and opened her eyes, she smiled up at Regina. "Where are we?"

She sat up and looked Regina over, blinking the sleep out of her eyes and becoming startled with the realization of what had happened.

"It worked," Regina stated in disbelief. She pushed back the covers and launched herself out of bed, running over the plush carpeted floors and to the window. Outside she saw she was in a town. Large houses with a strangely paved road, and on the horizon was the clock tower. The time read 8:15.

"Henry!" Regina raced across the room and flung open the door, jogging down the hallway and pausing in front of another. She opened it up, and immediately spotted her son in bed.

Emma followed after her and found Regina waking Henry up and giving him a long hug. She motioned for Emma to join them on the bed and all three embraced.

"Seriously, where are we?" Emma's voice sounded different, she cleared her throat.

Regina smiled brightly and leaned in for a kiss. She pulled back from her lips and whispered, "We're home."

A knock from downstairs interrupted the moment, and Regina, safe in the security of knowing both Henry and Emma were safe with her, marveled at the sleek hallways and the spiral banister of the house she found herself in.

When she pulled open the door she was shocked to find Kathryn dressed in a black suit standing on the other side.

"You're not dressed yet?" Kathryn said in shock and annoyance. "Come on, Regina hurry up, we've got a huge order to ship out today, and please tell me you didn't forget about the conference call with our manufacturer in Tokyo?"

"I'll…I'll get ready right away," Regina stood still for a moment as a barrage of memories came flooding into her head like she'd been struck by lightning. She went back upstairs and found her closet, admiring the fine clothes hanging inside.

Kathryn waited downstairs in the kitchen, putting on a pot of coffee. Emma came back into the bedroom and found the bathroom, flushing the toilet and turning the facet on and off several times. "This is so weird…"

"We enacted a curse, Starling," Regina hummed to herself merrily as she dressed.

"Where's Aspasia?" Emma suddenly asked moving to the window to look outside. In the driveway a yellow 1969 Volkswagen beetle was parked.

"I think that's your horse…" Regina pointed out the car, "And that one is mine."

A black Mercedes Benz was parked next to Emma's car.

….

"Stop making out up there, and let's go," Kathryn's voice filtered up from downstairs. "We have to drop off Henry at school."

Everything was new and exciting, the curse had planted them into the future, and memories were coming in to Regina's head. Gold was no more, in fact, it was like he had never existed at the all. The clock tower displayed the time and the library was underneath, nothing more. Kathryn drove them into town, and they dropped off Henry at school.

"Henry, do you….?" Regina wasn't sure what she was going to say.

"I know what to do, Moms," Henry said to both Regina and Emma. "Bye Kathryn."

He threw his backpack over his shoulder and went on his way.

"Moms?" Emma asked in surprise. "I kind of like that kid…"

"I love him," Regina said, reaching to the back seat and taking Emma's hand. "I think you'll love him too."

Kathryn parked on the street, and the people of the town waved and smiled at Emma and Regina as they walked to a store front. The sign out front read, "Enchantica: Pleasure Palace."

Regina knew instantly. It was their store. A whole shop full of her inventions. Large electric vibrators and novelty sex items. She walked inside and looked around, getting a bit teary eyed as she realized her dreams had come true.

"Emma, will you go down to the club and check with Mal about the drink order sometime today? The damned town has been drinking us dry, we can barely keep enough alcohol on hand," Kathryn asked as she set to work on opening up the store. "Oh, and Aurora is off suspension tonight so please ask Mal to keep an eye on her and make sure she doesn't fall asleep in the dressing room."

Not only did Regina own a sex toy shop, she also owned a strip club, and a profitable one at that. She shared a look with Emma, as things were definitely looking up in life.

"Also, there's a new box of trial items in from the West. Can you two it home and test it out? We still haven't found a decent double ended dildo to sell, and the last three vibrators had defective clit ticklers," Kathryn was still going on about the trials and tribulations of running a sex toy shop.

"If you want me to watch Henry tonight so you two can really put those toys to the test without worrying about him hearing you, you can bring him over around nine," Kathryn added as if it was a totally normal everyday occurrence.

"I think we can test out those toys, yes, ma'am," Emma said with a laugh, her cheeks tinged pink as she wrapped her arms around Regina's waist and put her head over her shoulder. Regina playfully picked up a flog and swatted Emma with it, earning herself a sweet kiss.

"We'll have to test out the toys for the boys too," She sighed in contentment, looking at the snake head vial hanging around Emma's neck and asked, "Oh, Kathryn, refresh my memory: do we have any cowboy outfits in stock?"


End file.
